Assistant/Associate Curator - AI and Biological and/or Cultural Diversity Past and Present(68327)

AI and Biological and/or Cultural Diversity Past and Present

The University of Florida (UF) is embarking on a campus-wide strategic initiative to hire clusters of faculty with expertise in Artificial Intelligence (AI). As part of this initiative, the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH) is seeking qualified applicants with innovative research interests and experience for a 12-month, tenure-track faculty position specializing in AI applications for understanding biological and/or cultural diversity. This position will be filled at the Assistant or Associate faculty level in the FLMNH Department of Natural History .

The FLMNH, a college-level unit within UF, is a vibrant community of about 300 employees, including 32 full-time faculty, UF undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral research associates, and museum collections, education, and administrative support staff. As the official state museum of Florida, our core mission includes stewardship of 40 million specimens and artifacts, award-winning exhibitions, diverse public programs, and emerging virtual and digital engagement. The FLMNH Department of Natural History’s research and collections programs are world class and attract about $10 million annually in government and philanthropic support.

The FLMNH enjoys cross-campus collaborations with many of the 16 UF colleges, including those of potential relevance to this new faculty position: Agricultural and Life Sciences (Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences), Education, Engineering, Journalism and Communications, Libraries, and Liberal Arts and Sciences. This position requires a strong commitment to university education, museum-based research, and outreach. Interactions with allied academic departments include affiliate professorship status with responsibility for supervision of graduate students and teaching at least one formal course per year. Interdisciplinary UF institutes, such as the Informatics Institute, Biodiversity Institute, and Genetics Institute, offer additional opportunities for collaboration.

We seek to strengthen FLMNH’s global leadership role in biodiversity informatics by hiring a creative, interdisciplinary scholar whose research and teaching focus on innovative approaches using machine learning (ML) and computer vision, as applied to natural history data sources. This position is part of a multi-college cluster hire under the theme of AI and the Resilient and Built Environment. We invite candidates who ask and answer questions about changes in biological and/or cultural diversity through space and time and whose interests include working with burgeoning media and information generated from natural history datasets, community scientists, and in-situ and remote sensors. Possible data sources include 2D and 3D images, audio and video, and genetic data from the domains of biodiversity, paleontology, and archaeology. Preferred candidates will have a strong foundation in statistical ML, deep-learning, and working in scalable computing environments. We especially encourage applications from candidates who contribute to the diversity, inclusivity, and excellence of the academic community and who have experience working with underserved and/or underrepresented student populations. FLMNH has made strategic investments in biodiversity informatics and is a national and international leader in this area. Its leadership position is further enhanced by iDigBio, the national hub for digitization of natural history specimens, and multiple funded infrastructure projects in imaging and media creation. The successful candidate will join other FLMNH faculty who are currently using ML approaches.

AI@UF

Qualifications include a Ph.D., or equivalent, in biology, anthropology, geography, engineering, computer science, or other relevant discipline.

Interested applicants must apply online at https://account.interfolio.com/login?apply=82273 . Applicants must submit (1) cover letter; (2) full CV, including list of peer-reviewed publications and grants received; (3) research statement; (4) education and outreach statement; (5) statement describing the applicant’s contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion through teaching, research, or service; and (6) names and email addresses of a minimum of 3 professional references (do not send letters). For more information, please visit FLMNH Department of Natural History .

Review of applications will begin on February 15, 2021, and will continue until the position is filled.

The final candidate will be required to provide an official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered official if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible. Degrees earned from an educational institution outside of the United States must be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), which can be found at http://www.naces.org/ .

For inquiries concerning this position, contact Dr. Pam Soltis, Search Chair, psoltis (at) flmnh.ufl.edu.

The University of Florida is an equal opportunity institution dedicated to building a broadly diverse and inclusive faculty and staff. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352/392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800/955-8771 (TDD). Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. Searches are conducted in accordance with Florida's Sunshine Law.

The University of Florida is committed to non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations, genetic information and veteran status in all aspects of employment including recruitment, hiring, promotions, transfers, discipline, terminations, wage and salary administration, benefits, and training.